Match Preview: Stockport County v Weymouth – Saturday 26th February – 15:00
Weymouth travel to Greater Manchester to face league leaders Stockport County at Edgeley Park in the Vanarama National League.
THE TERRAS
Tom Bearwish and Brandon Goodship were the scorers in Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw with Bromley, which saw Weymouth’s unbeaten run in the league extend to three matches following a 1-1 draw with Chesterfield and a 1-0 win over Eastleigh. Confidence is high amongst the group and it’s expected that the Terras will head north on Saturday believing they can produce a positive performance against one of the league’s heavyweights. But with Stockport in a strong run of form and in high spirits, it is set to be a fascinating encounter between the two sides.
LAST SIX
TERRAS 2-2 BROMLEY
TERRAS 1-0 EASTLEIGH
TERRAS 1-1 CHESTERFIELD
KING’S LYNN TOWN 3-0 TERRAS
YEOVIL 1-1 TERRAS
TERRAS 0-1 ALDERSHOT TOWN
Weymouth currently sit 21st in the table with 22 points from 29 games
THE HATTERS
Stockport County, managed by Dave Challinor, are currently 14 games unbeaten in all competitions and have won ten of their previous eleven fixtures, the one game without a win in this period was a 2-2 draw with second place Chesterfield. The Hatters boast a six point lead at the top of the National League and have won 8 of their 14 home games this season plus three draws and have the best away record in the league having won 11 of their 15 games away from Edgeley Park. Their last fixture saw Stockport record a 1-0 win over Woking. They were reduced to ten men on 54 minutes when Liam Hogan was shown red, but Ashley Palmer’s 72nd minute goal sealed the three points for the Hatters. A big clash tomorrow with implications for both teams at both ends of the table, with what could be a crucial three points up for grabs for Stockport’s promotion hopes, but also Weymouth’s survival hopes.
Player To Watch: Paddy Madden
Paddy Madden has scored 13 league goals so far this season, plus a further goal in the FA Cup. He recently scored two goals in Stockport’s 3-1 win over Bromley earlier this month and will certainly be on the hunt for more on Saturday as Stockport look to extend their advantage at the top of the National League table.
LAST SIX
STOCKPORT 1-0 WOKING
BROMLEY 1-3 STOCKPORT
STOCKPORT 1-0 CHESHUNT (FA TROPHY)
STOCKPORT 2-2 CHESTERFIELD
STOCKPORT 1-0 DOVER
BARNET 0-5 STOCKPORT
Stockport are top of the National League with 61 points from 29 games.
@TerraStatman’s Facts of the Match
This fixture last season was a special occasion when no one gave us a hope of any sort of a result up north against high-flying Stockport and even more so when we went a goal down after 14 mins and then were forced into an early substitution on the half hour when defender Brennan Camp had to limp off injured. However the second half saw an incredible fightback as an equaliser from Calvin Brooks not long after the break was followed up by a Whelan strike to ensure all three points returned back to the south coast.
Our turnaround from losing at half time to winning after 90 minutes is the only time we have achieved this feat in the last 86 games, the last occasion being the famous 3-2 win at Hampton & Richmond in Feb 2020 from being 0-2 down at the interval.
Overall we can boast a W2 L1 record against the league leaders and we have managed to puncture their defences on each occasion, Brooks, Dallas, Shields & Whelan with a goal apiece.
Avoid defeat tomorrow and we will have not lost in four league games for the first time since returning to this level at the beginning of last season.
Brandon Goodship comes into this game having celebrated his 125th game for the Terras against Bromley on Tuesday and in a rich vein of form, directly contributing to goals in each of the last three games. Similarly Cameron Murray is on a hot streak going forward with a goal and an assist in his last two outings.
SUPPORTER INFORMATION
Tickets for tomorrow’s game are available here
